Shari’ah Council Speaks on Senator Umar’s Alleged Link to Banditry

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called for a fresh investigation into allegations linking Senator Shehu Buba Umar to banditry and terrorism.

The Council also warned against turning matters of national security into political weapons.

It says the renewed allegations against the Bauchi South senator must be properly investigated rather than settled through public accusations.

The latest intervention came following the recent claims linking Senator Buba to suspected bandits and criminal networks in northern Nigeria.

The SCSN, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Secretary General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, urged the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to independently examine the allegations and clarify the senator’s previous engagements with security institutions.

The Council said the seriousness of the claims made it necessary for the relevant authorities to establish the facts and make their findings known to Nigerians, subject to legal and national security considerations.

“The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has followed with deep concern the renewed allegations linking Senator Shehu Buba Umar to acts of banditry and terrorism.

“In view of the grave nature of these allegations and their potentially far-reaching implications for national security, the Council considers it necessary to once again restate its position and urge caution against the politicisation of security matters, unsubstantiated speculation and campaigns of calumny that could undermine public confidence and distract from the collective effort to combat terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.”

The allegations have also involved claims surrounding the activities of some suspected criminal figures and the senator’s previous contacts with people connected to security-related engagements.

Senator Buba has rejected the allegations and described the latest claims as politically motivated.

He has also disputed the interpretation of videos circulated on social media, saying some of the footage had been manipulated or presented without the necessary context.

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, had earlier called on the DSS to disclose the outcome of its investigation into allegations connecting Senator Buba with suspected bandit Abubakar Idris.

Dalung questioned whether the security agency had investigated the matter, whether the senator was cleared and whether anyone was prosecuted following the investigation.

The latest controversy is particularly sensitive because of Senator Buba’s previous role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

The SCSN, however, explained that its own interaction with the senator was connected to broader efforts to address insecurity in the country.

According to the Council, it had been engaging security and government institutions since late 2023 on ways to complement military operations with non-kinetic measures.

“It was within the context of the Council’s sustained engagements on finding lasting solutions to Nigeria’s security crisis that, from late 2023, we intensified consultations with relevant security and government institutions, particularly the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).”

The Council said such engagements were aimed at exploring approaches capable of dealing with the causes and dynamics of terrorism and banditry.

It said its contact with Senator Buba came because of his position at the time as chairman of the Senate committee responsible for national security and intelligence.

“Like other responsible and concerned organisations seeking solutions to the nation’s security challenges, the Council engaged relevant stakeholders on the need to complement military operations with credible non-kinetic approaches capable of addressing the underlying drivers and dynamics of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.”

“It was through this process that the Council came to engage with Senator Shehu Buba Umar in his capacity at the time as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence,” the SCSN stated.

The Council further stressed that it has never supported terrorism, banditry or any other form of violence.

“For decades, the Council has remained at the forefront of engaging, advising and constructively pressuring successive governments on the urgent need to decisively address terrorism, insurgency, banditry and other forms of violent criminality in Nigeria.”

It said its position had remained consistent under successive administrations, including those of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Council also recalled its long-standing position on the protection of civilian lives.

“Throughout the years of the Boko Haram insurgency and the more recent escalation of banditry and other violent crimes, the SCSN has consistently emphasised the sanctity and inviolability of human life. We have made it abundantly clear that every innocent life is sacred, whether Muslim, Christian or of any other faith or background.”

The SCSN condemned kidnapping, killings, destruction of communities and other acts of terror.

“The Council has repeatedly and unequivocally condemned the barbaric, inhuman and criminal acts perpetrated by terrorists, bandits and all other agents of violence.”

“Kidnapping, murder, destruction of communities and all forms of terror can never be justified by religion, ethnicity, politics or any other consideration.”

In 2024, the SCSN had defended the senator against allegations of involvement in banditry, describing the claims at the time as unfounded and warning against the use of insecurity allegations to damage the reputation of public officials.